Flying Restrictions for September 11 Events Announced

WASHINGTON – The U. S. Department of Transportation’s
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) announced today temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) that will be in
effect on September 11, 2002. These restrictions will be in effect in
connection with public events that day in New York, Washington, DC and Somerset,
PA.

During those times, there will be extensive limits on
flying within a 30-nautical-mile (34.5-statute-mile) radius of the event sites
at altitudes below 18,000 feet. For airline flights into and out of all
airports in these areas, the “30-minute seat rule” will be in effect. That
means all passengers must remain seated for 30 minutes after takeoff and for 30
minutes prior to landing. This same rule has been in effect for flights at
Reagan Washington National Airport since last October.

General aviation or private flying will be banned or, in
some cases, limited to aircraft on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plans,
which must be filed at least six hours before takeoff. Sightseeing and
training flights are banned, as are all Visual Flight Rules (VFR)
flights.

Special air traffic management procedures will be in
effect for all flights in these areas, including foreign
airlines.

In the New York area, these restrictions will be in
effect from 7 a.m. on September 11 until 8 p.m. on September 13. There will be
no general aviation flying in the TFR area before, during and after public
outdoor events on those three days. At other times, general aviation
flying will be limited to IFR operations. The 30th and
34th Street heliports in Manhattan will have limited flying during
the public outdoor events. Times for these events will be announced
later. For pilots, the center of the 30-nautical-mile TFR will be the
Ground Zero site.

In the Washington area, the restrictions will be in
effect from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. on September 11. The Washington
Monument will be the center of the TFR. There will be no flying over or
near the Pentagon ceremony, and use of Runway 15/33 at Reagan Washington
National Airport will be restricted. IFR general aviation flying will be
permitted in the outer area of the TFR zone, not less than 15 miles from the
Washington Monument. All general aviation flying continues to be
prohibited within a 15-statute-mile radius of the Washington
Monument.

In Somerset, PA, the TFR will be centered on the
ceremony site, near the location of the crash of United Air Lines Flight 93.
There will be no flying over or near the ceremony.

An interagency working group that included the Office of
Homeland Security, North American Aerospace Defense Command, US Secret Service
and the Department of State, as well as TSA and FAA, developed these
restrictions.